The Aftermath of Wife Beating

Abstract

In-depth interviews with 40 spouses (20 couples) who remained together after the men physically abused their wives were analyzed to identify strategies used in the aftermath of violence to confine the event and allow for the continuation of joint life. In couples where the wife actively rejected violence, she used various interrelated spatio-temporal and audience-related strategies to change the power balance and reframe the event. In those couples where the woman accepted violence, continuity was stressed and little if any effort was invested in bounding the violent event, which was thus minimized and made part of everyday existence. Bounding is suggested as a useful concept for understanding the dynamics of dyadic life following violence.